Losing a child – new #DaddyDebates podcast episode with Matt Boshell
I was browsing Linkedin, as you do, a couple of months ago and I saw something that stopped me in my tracks. It was a picture of a graveyard with a father’s day card and bag next to it. As I read the post and the comments and understood what had happened it was truly a heart breaking moment. I learnt that Matt, a dad from Coventry, had lost his 11 year old daughter, Isabelle, in a road accident. The picture was from Father’s Day and showed how thoughtful his wife had been to leave the exact same card as the previous Father’s Day that Isabelle had written at the graveyard that they visit every Sunday.
Isabelle’s graveyard on Father’s Day
Matt agreed to have a chat with me on our podcast and I will be forever grateful for his time and honesty. Matt spoke about Isabelle and how popular she was at school and how she always wanted to get involved in helping him out with DIY around the house. And how she would always wear his hats so he started buying her her own collection. We spoke about the day the car accident happened and what it was like in the hospital and at the funeral. We spoke about the court case. And we spoke about the AMAZING work Matt has done to keep Isabelle’s legacy alive.
Isabelle wearing one of her dad’s hats
Isabelle and Matt going to an Ariana Grande concert
Matt and his family on holiday, 2 months before Isabelle passed away
Matt has started the Isabell Boshell Awards (IBA). The IBA is a community organisation that works in schools to get kids involved in road safety. They host a competition where the children design a road sign and the winner has their road sign made and put in in their local area! It’s an amazing initiative. Matt is looking for help to build a website and build the charity so anyway that you can help, please let Matt know – you can contact him here.
The IBA logo
The IBA award at Isabelle’s school
The yacht named after Isabelle
Matt is a really amazing person and I have no doubt that he will build the IBA to be something really impactful. This was a hard conversation to have, and it will also be quite difficult to listen too, but it’s one that I think we all need to give some time too. Sometimes in life we can be so busy going from one thing to the next and we forget what is really important. Matt’s openness and vulnerability helps us all understand what is important in life.
I want to personally thank Matt so much for his time with me. Matt, anything you ever need from us – we are here.
Please listen to the podcast here.
Written by Elliott Rae